1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to camera mounting systems and, in particular, a camera mount apparatus incorporating a security device for use in theft prevention.
2. Background Art
Product displays in consumer electronic stores often incorporate security systems that simultaneously allow consumers to examine and test fully functioning consumer electronic products without exposing the store owner to a risk of theft. Such security systems may simply involve attaching a retractable tether from the consumer display to the consumer electronic product. More advanced systems may also incorporate an electronic alarm system that alerts store personnel in the event the tether becomes disconnected either from the product or from the product display.
Handheld cameras are ubiquitous in most, if not all, consumer electronic stores. A great majority of cameras today, including both still and video cameras, incorporate a number of features to distinguish one product over another. Because of this, consumers prefer to handle and manipulate a camera, prior to purchase, to determine if the features embodied in a particular model are suitable for the consumer's intended use. It is no coincidence, therefore, that thieves are particularly attracted to stealing handheld cameras because the devices are easily accessible, expensive and portable. In response, store owners typically attach an electronic anti-theft device along with a tether to the cameras on display.
Attaching anti-theft devices and/or tethers to cameras is not without difficulty. For example, cameras are often so small that a dedicated portion of the camera for attachment of an anti-theft device doesn't exist. On the other hand, larger cameras have more surface area available to attach an anti-theft device using traditional means of industrial strength double-sided adhesive tape, but the surfaces of modern camera housings are often so curved that effective attachment of an anti-theft device is questionable. Surely the solution to these problems might include: (1) reducing the “footprint” of the anti-theft device to either fit a smaller camera or to minimize the effect of the housing contours on a larger camera, or (2) for larger cameras, designing and fabricating anti-theft devices that better match the contours of each individual camera model.
Unfortunately, taking either of these avenues presents new problems. First, anti-theft devices attached using double-sided adhesive tape to cameras depend on maximum surface area contact to ensure a sufficient resistive force to thwart potential thieves. Therefore, reducing the size of the anti-theft device negates this goal. Second, the necessity of designing and inventorying endless shapes for anti-theft devices housings make the latter solution obviously impractical.
There are other disadvantages to prior art anti-theft devices aside from attachment issues. For example, electronic anti-theft systems have the disadvantage of not being universally mountable on cameras made by all manufacturers while cable tether anti-theft systems can be defeated by simply severing the cable.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a universal camera mount that obviates the need to inventory many variations of mount to accommodate the varying camera shapes available for sale.
Another object of the present invention is to simplify the installation of an anti-theft monitoring device to a camera being monitored.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a means to permit consumers to handle cameras on display for sale while simultaneously preventing theft of the handled camera.
These and other objects of the invention will become apparent via the following specifications and claims.